Two University students have created a new app, VotersChoice, to allow for greater communication between politicians and their constituents. The app allows politicians to survey constituents’ opinions by sending out polls on relevant public issues.
The idea, developed by third-year College student Tara Raj and third-year Commerce student Garrett Allen, was conceived last election season when the two were discussing how many of their friends decided not to vote, citing inconvenience.
“Most of them noted it was difficult to get to the polling location or send in an absentee ballot,” Raj said in an email. “They simply didn't have the time to make the trip to their local polling place. This was when I first became interested in devising an easy way for people to be involved in governance.”
Raj and Allen said they hoped the app would help politicians and their constituents communicate more effectively.
“The fundamental gap VotersChoice attempts to fill is a communication barrier,” Raj said.
In his internship with the Del. Jim LeMunyon, R-Fairfax, in 2011, Allen said he was particularly able to see the problems of communication on the side of the politicians.
“Garrett noticed the system on the representatives' end is flooded with emails and phone calls about an array of issues,” Raj said. “But, most of these inquiries rarely relate to current issues and ballots the representative is voting on.”
To create the app, the pair coupled with Allen’s business background with Raj’s knowledge of computer science. They also worked with Engineering Prof. Doug Muir and Asst. Commerce Prof. David Touve. Jane Dittmar, chair of the Board of Supervisors representing the Scottsville District, provided a politician’s perspective on the app.
Raj and Allen’s app won first place in the Darden Business Plan 2.0 competition, third place in the semifinals of the Entrepreneurship Cup, and were finalists in the Galant Challenge. They used the prize money and experience to improve the app and to file for VotersChoice to become a limited liability corporation in Virginia.
“Ultimately, we hope VotersChoice will change how we govern and are governed,” Raj said. “We want voters to have more of a choice in how issues are voted on.”
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